Chantilly, Va. – During the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, there were 10 hurricanes and 19 tropical depressions with 199 direct fatalities and 155 indirect fatalities. That same calendar year there were 932 tornadoes in the United States with 69 fatalities. In the past six months alone, there have been 395 confirmed tornadoes with 56 fatalities in this county. Unfortunately, there is nothing First Line Technology can do to prevent these disasters.

But the Virginia-based company is doing all it can to keep those disaster-related fatalities to a minimum and this year they are going to be giving one deserving agency or organization an AmbuBus Bus Stretcher Conversion Kit worth up to $35,000 to help them build an exemplary disaster preparedness and response plan – one that will save the most people in case of disaster or mass casualty incident.

“Our local first responders – and the first responders around the country – are veritable heroes. But they need supplies to help them do the best work – and save the most lives – possible,” said First Line Technology President Amit Kapoor. “First Line Technology wants to help those heroes by giving one lucky and deserving organization a free AmbuBus Kit.”

The general public will have the opportunity to nominate their own local heroes during a two-month nomination period that will take place exclusively on Facebook® from June 18 to Aug. 18. For those two months, First Line’s Facebook fans will have the chance to nominate any eligible department or organization, including fire departments, emergency services, hospitals, schools and universities, nursing homes, state agencies, and local governments. First responders and healthcare personnel are encouraged to spread the news in their communities as organizations with multiple nominations will be strongly considered during the evaluation period (Aug. 19-23) during which a team of First Line employees and advisors will choose finalists.

The final voting period will take place on Facebook from Sept. 3 to 20, during which the general public will vote on up to 25 finalists based on each finalist’s unique story and the way they answer one big question about the AmbuBus: How will you use it?

The winner will be announced Oct. 1, 2013.

With more than 400 AmbuBuses deployed in 20 states, AmbuBus users often recommend the AmbuBus Kit to colleagues or make additional purchases to make sure an entire population is covered in case of disaster.

“With the AmbuBus Kit in a crate that’s easily stored, it’s available at a moment’s notice,” said Alabama Department of Public Health Center for Emergency Preparedness Planning and Logistics Director Tim Hatch. “With spreading them out across the state, there is no county in the State of Alabama that doesn’t have an AmbuBus or have one in the county next door. Ambulances carry one or two people, whereas an AmbuBus can carry over a dozen. If we see a hurricane coming and need to evacuate a nursing home or hospital, it would take less vehicles.”

For more information – or help on spreading the world to deserving local heroes – please contact First Line Technology or visit www.facebook.com/firstlinetech. To get involved, (a) nominate that deserving local agency and tell readers, listeners, customers, friends, and industry professionals to do the same; (b) spread the word and share the AmbuBus giveaway with readers, Facebook fans, Twitter followers, advertisers, customers, and local news organizations; and (c) stay involved and up to date by “liking” First Line Technology on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and meeting up with us at upcoming tradeshows – we’ll be at Fire-Rescue International (Aug. 13-15), EMS World (Sept. 8-12), and NASEMSO (Sept. 17-18).

About First Line Technology

First Line Technology, LLC supplies Out of the Box Solutions to first responders and the military. Since 2003, First Line has established itself as a leader in new product development and distribution with innovative, yet simple, solutions. First Line prides itself in creating high-quality products that are comfortable, effective, and safe for use in All-Hazards response.

At First Line Technology PEOPLE are our most valuable asset. We believe that everything we do should be grounded in INTEGRITY and that we each have the responsibility to do the right thing. We’re committed to providing QUALITY products and services that meet customer requirements. And we feel as though we serve the COMMUNITY – our office, our city, our nation, and the world – best by serving those who serve others.

About the AmbuBus Bus Stretcher Conversion Kit

The AmbuBus Bus Stretcher Conversion Kit from First Line Technology is the only patented effective and efficient solution for mass evacuation and transport of functional needs patients, casualties, and others who require non-ambulatory transport. The AmbuBus quickly and easily retrofits buses into mass casualty transport vehicles.

The three AmbuBus configurations allow for the widest possible range of preparedness and response using the same AmbuBus Kit. The No-Notice [Permanent] Kit allows a mass transit vehicle to be converted into a turnkey mass casualty transport system for earthquakes and other no-notice disasters. The On-Demand [Temporary] AmbuBus Kit allows for the use of an everyday vehicle (like a school bus) to be converted on-demand into a mass casualty transport system for hurricanes, etc. The Surge [Free-Standing] AmbuBus Kit requires no vehicle and enables efficient use of limited floor space during staging and sheltering.